Experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis: IV. The humoral response of Cebus apella (Primates: Cebidae) to infections of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, L. (Viannia) lainsoni and L. (V.) braziliensis using the direct agglutination test

• Published in: Acta tropica 1997-10, Vol.68 (1), p.65-76
• Main Authors: Garcez, Lourdes Maria, Silveira, Fernando Tobias, El Harith, Abdallah, Lainson, Ralph, Shaw, Jeffrey Jon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agglutination Tests; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Cebus; Cebus apella; DAT; Experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis; L. (Leishmania) amazonensis; L. (V.) lainsoni; L. (Viannia) braziliensis; Leishmania braziliensis - immunology; Leishmania mexicana - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - immunology
• ISSN: 0001-706X; 1873-6254
• DOI: 10.1016/S0001-706X(97)00078-8

The direct agglutination test (DAT) was used to evaluate the serological response of 150 serum samples taken from 15 captive-bred capuchin monkeys Cebus apella. These animals had been experimentally infected with either L. (Leishmania) amazonensis, L. (Viannia) lainsoni or L. (V.) braziliensis. Monkeys infected with L. (L.) amazonensis or L. (V.) lainsoni were challenged with the homologous parasite one month after their spontaneous cure. DAT antigens were prepared from L. (L.) donovani, L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (V.) braziliensis. Antigens were difficult to standardise and it was impossible to produce an L. (V.) lainsoni antigen as parasites remained aggregated even after trypsinization. The DAT detected significant humoral responses in all the infected monkeys. Titres were higher when homologous antigens were used, especially in secondary responses. This suggests that homologous antigen should be used to detect antibodies in human cutaneous leishmaniasis.